1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a measuring calliper for determining the dimensions of a workpiece by means of a measuring apparatus operatively coupled to the measuring calliper, particularly for determining two perpendicularly extending linear dimensions of a workpiece by means of the same measuring apparatus.
To determine linear dimensions in the regions of micrometers or millimeters, measuring apparatus are used which work very precisely within a limited measuring range, e.g. mechanical measuring gauges, electronic path-measuring elements, etc. These instruments have proven highly reliable particularly in determining dimensional variations with reference to a given standard dimension, in determining the concentricity tolerance of rotating workpieces or in determining the position of a workpiece with reference to a given standard position. However, in many cases, the sensor of the measuring apparatus can not be directly operatively coupled to the object to be measured; that is the reason why a measuring calliper is required which establishes the desired coupling between the objects to be measured and the sensor of the measuring apparatus.
2. Prior Art
Already known measuring callipers work unidirectionally linear, i.e. a linear dimension variation in one given direction (and only in this direction) is proportionally transformed into a measurement value shown by the measuring apparatus operatively coupled to the measuring calliper. Therefore, in order to determine the dimension or a dimensional divergence or a variance in dimension of a workpiece in two different directions, either the utilized measuring apparatus including the measuring calliper had to be rearranged and readjusted again, or one had to utilize two measuring set-ups working independently from each other. Such proceeding resulted in an increased expenditure of working hours and/or financial investment.
The German Patent Application DE-OS No. 32 34 470 discloses a way to determine an axial displacement as well as a displacement in a perpendicular plane of a pin sensor by means of one single path-detection element. However, the construction according to that publication needs a very complicated system of levers, bearings, linear ball bearing members and ball-cone-surface arrangements in order to transform the displacement of the pin sensor into a linear displacement of the sensing element within the three coordinates. If this system is to be designed to work with a high degree of precision, a very high expenditure in labour and costs during manufacturing and finishing of the parts thereof has to be afforded. The consequence is that this system will be very expensive and subject to damage.